


Could Be Always?

by WindOfTheWillows17



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-10 17:34:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6998023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindOfTheWillows17/pseuds/WindOfTheWillows17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and Scorpius... Always?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Crazy Train

We stood waiting on the platform for my aunt, uncle and cousins to arrive. The nerves I had been feeling all morning were threatening to overtake me the longer we waited. 

“Where are they?” Hugo whined by my side as I rolled my eyes. He had been asking this question every five minutes since we arrived at King’s Cross and it wasn’t helping any.

“Here they come,” my dad announced as he pointed towards the train as the steam cleared and they came into view. 

“About time!” Hugo huffed as Lily ran over to him and gave him a hug.

I watched quietly as they approached us. James looked eager to put as much distance between himself and the rest of us and ran off to supposedly meet some friends, but was probably up to his usual shenanigans. Albus looked just like how I imaged I did. Pale with a tinge of green coloring his cheeks. 

There was no way I could do any of this without him. None. We stood together quietly listening to my parents talking about parking the car, someone being confunded and whether or not my mum had any faith in my dad. It was a rather confusing conversation. Meanwhile, on the other side of me I could overhear the conversation going on between Hugo and Lily as they pondered happily about what houses they would be sorted into at Hogwarts in a couple of years. 

My dad turned around to face Albus and I, “If you’re not in Gryffindor, we’ll disinherit you,” he informed us, “but no pressure!”

“Ron!” My mum and aunt yelled together as Lily and Hugo laughed. I could feel Albus next to me shrink as the nerves finally overtook him. 

“Are you okay?” I whispered to him. 

He looked anxiously back to me with scared green eyes and gave the smallest of nods, but I wasn’t buying it. He may have been able to convince himself and the rest of our family, but I knew Albus better than that and he wasn't fooling anyone! We had always been close since growing up and he was my favorite cousin. We share everything together no matter how terrified we were. I just wish that I knew what it was. 

“Look who it is.” I distantly heard my dad say as I was torn away from contemplating my cousins inability to talk, and followed my uncles eyes in the general direction of where my dad had nodded. 

Standing near the train was a tall man with a pointed chin and a thinning hairline. He looked on proudly as his wife was fawned over a boy my age that looked just like his father. The boy cast his eyes in our direction and I quickly turned away as my stomach gave a flutter and warmth flooded my cheeks.

“So that’s little Scorpius,” my dad said under his breath as he turned back to me. “Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother’s brains.”

My body tensed as I gulped for fresh air, never realizing that I was holding my breath.

Malfoy I thought to myself. I should have known that my father would point him out to us. Hugo and I had heard all about his father as we were growing up and how he was a rival of our uncle Harry, dad and mum when they were in school. Our uncle and mum would tell you about how much he had changed, but our dad can hold a grudge to rival that of Lord Voldemort. He loathed Malfoy for reasons my mum didn’t allow him to elaborate on in front of us. 

“Oh come on now Ron!" My mother replied.

Uncle Harry shook his head and my aunt Ginny rolled her eyes. 

“Some things never change,” she told my mum as they both chuckled.

“Don’t get too friendly with him though, Rosie,” he informed me as he knelt down beside me to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Grandad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood,” he continued on and my heart sank. 

Married? I am eleven. Why would I even be thinking about that now?

James’ return had interrupted my train of thought as he shouted on about Teddy and Victoire kissing. The rest of the conversation I completely drowned out as I silently watched Scorpius curiously in the distance.

He was smiling happily and confidently at his mum who had been brushing away a lock of his blonde hair that had invaded his face trying desperately to cover his eyes. It was rather sweet. 

“Rose!” Albus yelled elbowing me in the side for good measure. 

“Ouch!” I winced at the pain in my side as my eyes refocused on Albus beside me. “What was that for?”

“I asked you a question three times now and you have been doing nothing but staring off into space!” He informed me impatiently.

“Sorry…” I began to say until my voice was muffled by the sound of the train whistle.

“Time to go!” My mum announced happily as she began to fuss over me zipping up my jumper and patting my shoulder clumsily. 

“Mum,” I said to her nervously laced with annoyance. “I have to go.”  
“Be good Rosie!” My dad said smiling as he put his arm around my mum. 

I looked around for Albus to ask him if he was ready, but he had disappeared from view.

What a prat! We promised eachother that we would help one another through this and he's gone and left me here...alone!

I craned my head to look for my cousin as I slowly made my way to the entrance of the train car. My nerves growing more with each step I took. “I can do this. I can do this.” I kept reminding myself in a steady mantra as the person behind me bumped into me.

“Hey!” I shouted as I began to turn around. “Watch where you’re…”

“Excuse me,” his soft voice said back. “I didn’t mean too.”

“Albus! Where did you go?” I questioned him as we entered the train. “I have been looking around everywhere for you!”

“Oh…that,” he began to say as scratched his head looking uncomfortable. “I was just… was just talking to my dad.” 

“Everything okay?” I wondered as we made our way down the corridor looking for our cousins in one of the compartments. 

“Yes.” He said and changed the subject just as abruptly as it began. “Where do you think they are?”

I knew something was bothering him because I could see it all over his face, but I shrugged it off as we continued looking in each compartment we passed. If he wanted to tell me he would tell me, I kept telling myself, but I had a hunch that it had something to do with our sorting we would endure in a few hours. The thought gave me queasy sensation.

“Here they are!” He announced. “Come on!”

Just as I was about to enter the compartment, I noticed a head of blonde hair passing by in the other direction. Our eyes met for a moment and he gave a small smile as he walked past me and I smiled politely back.

“Come on Rosie!” Victoire snapped at me. “The train will be leaving any minute and you won’t want to be standing when it begins to lurch forward.”

I don’t know what made me do it, but I chanced one last glance of him as he disappeared in the crowd before entering the compartment. 

The train ride was mostly spent with my cousins and arguing about which houses Albus and I would end up in. Victoire was insistent that we would both end up in Gryffindor, but James took a whole different direction.  
“There’s no way my brother is going to be in Gryffindor!” He shouted at Victoire as Albus’ ears turned red. “He’s going to end up being nothing but a slimy little Slytherin.”

Victoire rolled her eyes. “When are you going to get over me taunting you like this when you were a first year?”

Our jaws dropped. Albus and I both looked up shocked at Victoire’s words as James fell instantly silent. A feat that wasn’t easy to accomplish. 

“What!?” We shouted in unison glancing back and forth between a silent James and a rather pleased looking Victoire.

“He forgot to mention it?” Victoire asked us cunningly. 

“Leave it alone Vic!” James warned her.

“Or what?” She asked him incredulously as she crossed her arms and began to quickly, impatiently tap her foot. “You already blabbed to the entire family and Merlin knows who else on the Platform about me kissing Teddy!”

She turned around to face Albus and I. 

“Teddy and I use to tease James mercilessly about being sorted into Slytherin. He was scared to death when he made this journey two years ago and cried his eyes out until he was sorted into Gryffindor.” Victoire informed us with such malice.

All the color on James’s face drained out of him as he jumped up from his seat. “I am not going to listen to this. I’m out of here!” 

Victoire chuckled as the compartment door slammed shut. “Oh that James… So where do you two think you’ll be sorted?" 

Albus smiled as his confidence quickly came back after knowledge of James’ first year jitters made him feel completely better than he had. “Gryffindor!” He answered easily. 

Then they both looked expectantly at me. “I don’t know.” I began. “I could be sorted just about anywhere, but I would say that it would come down between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.”

Albus scoffed, “No one in our family has ever been sorted into Ravenclaw.”

“Well no one in our family has ever been sorted into Slytherin either!” I reminded him. “There’s always a first!”

The confidence that had grown in James’ absence slid right off his face as Victoire gave me a subtle wink of the eye. 

“Why don’t we play a few games of exploding snap?” She suggested.

So that is exactly what we did. Between the three of us, we all won a couple of games apiece. We only took a break to visit the loo or to raid the food trolley when it came around. I sat happily in the company of my cousins for the rest of the time that the train wound its way through the English countryside and through parts of the Scottish highlands until we arrived safely at Hogsmeade station. My thoughts on the impending sorting completely erased from my mind until we disembarked to the boats, by Hagrid's familiar face.


	2. Getting Sorted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I know where to sort you...

We walked a short distance in the dark being led by Hagrid and his lantern to the boats that would transport us to the school. My parents had always talked about how they felt during their first year when Hogwarts Castle came into view. They always talked about how it would be a moment I would remember for the rest of my life, but the queasiness that I had been feeling as we disembarked the train, had returned in full force as we boarded the rocking boats. 

Albus and I clambered into the nearest one with two other students who we hadn’t known.

“Hi!” The girl with long blonde hair said as she held out her hand. “I’m Denise, Denise Creevy.”

“Rose.” I said with a noncommittal grunt ignoring her hand completely. I wasn’t one for pleasant niceties. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I was just too excited, nervous and focused on what my parents had been raving about all my life. 

“Albus,” my cousin said as he quickly and politely shook her hand. 

“Thomas.” The other boy in the boat informed us. 

Turning my attention away from my boatmates and their chitchat, I peered across the lake and could have sworn that I had seen a tentacle disappear swiftly beneath the black surface. It gave me goose bumps as the boats continued to drift across its smooth surface.

We all became silent as the boats rounded the corner and Hogwarts came into view. Around me all I could hear was an intake of breath as we all marveled at the sight in front of us. There high up on the side of a cliff numerous towers rose into the darkness, but betrayed by the illumination of the moon. Windows glowed warmly and welcoming as the boats moved slowly nearer. It was just as beautiful as I had always dreamed it would be.

As we neared the boathouse, I looked around at the other boats. I noticed that we were part of quite a large group of first years and that Scorpius had taken up a seat in the boat next to us with some very intimidating looking boys. 

When the boats docked themselves we followed Hagrid up the steep stone steps and into the castle where we waited patiently in the entrance hall for a Professor to come and get us and lead us into the Great Hall for our sorting. Around me murmurs erupted. I noticed other students pointing at Albus and I and I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. I am sure that they had heard that children of the Golden Trio had come to Hogwarts. 

Albus and I made eye contact. He raised his eyebrows and I rolled my eyes. This was last thing I wanted to do; to be known as my parents child. I want to stand on my own two feet and not be harbored by all the attention that surrounded my parents for what they did during the second wizarding war. 

I was Rose. Yes, I am a Weasley and yes, my parents fought alongside my uncle during the war, but that had nothing to do with me. 

“Hi Rosie! Hi Alby!” I heard a very enthusiastic voice call out. 

When I turned around, I couldn’t help but smile. 

Walking towards us with an aide holding his hand was Professor Longbottom’s son Benji. Benji had Cerebral Palsy and was one of the happiest people I knew even though he struggled so much.

“Benny!” I yelled and walked quickly towards him wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Albus following closely behind.

“How are you?” I asked as I let him go, taking in his smiling face.

“Good.” He said simply as Albus patted him on the back. “This is my helper.”

The young man holding his hand smiled at us. “I’m Andy,” he informed Albus and I. “Benji has been so excited to see you, you’ve both been all he’s talked about since we arrived yesterday.”

Albus and I smiled and shook Andy’s hand. We had grown up around Benji and were both very aware of his abilities and disabilities and had grown to be very protective of him like he was one of our own. 

The happy reunion with Benji didn’t last long as a door to our left opened as a Professor made his way towards us. He was tall with dark hair and his voice was raspy when he spoke. 

“I’m Professor Harvey. In a moment we will proceed into the Great Hall. Inside you will wait until your name is called and come up to try on the sorting hat who will sort you into your houses. There are four of them,” he went on to explain to us even though most of us had probably known about them. “Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The houses at Hogwarts are very important.”

Benji gave out a loud squeal of delight and interrupted Professor Harvey who simply smiled in his direction as Andy his aide knelt down beside him and reminded him that he needed to be quite while the Professor spoke.

“As I was saying,” Professor Harvey continued. “ Houses at Hogwarts are very important. You will be with these people for the next seven years of your life. When you do well, you’ll be awarded points. When you misbehave you’ll have points taken away. Now, if you’ll all follow me, we’ll head into the Great Hall.”

The group began to head in through the large double doors. Behind me I could hear whispering from a couple of boys who seemed to be sniggering at the “Special Boy” who had been allowed to attend Hogwarts and how on earth he could ever be allowed to attend with “normal people.”  
As I began to turn around to see who they were, I heard another voice say, “Shut up you losers!”

I turned to see Scorpius glowering at the two boys who were now balling up their fists. They were both taller than him, but Scorpius stood his ground as they moved towards him.

“That’s enough you three!” Professor Harvey called out before anything could happen from the doorway as my classmates passed by him. 

“Come on Rose!” Albus said as he tugged on the sleeve of my robe.

My eyes met with Scorpius for the briefest of moments before I turned and followed my cousin into the Great Hall. 

A collective awe came from the group of first years as we set our eyes on the enchanted ceiling above us for the first time. The midnight colored sky was dotted with millions of tiny, sparkling stars. The four house tables striped the length of the hall and were filled with older students watching us eagerly as we made our way to the front of the room. 

Just before we reached the steps leading up to the Staff table, we stopped. At the top of the steps stood a three-legged stool with a very old and torn wizards hat. 

Professor Harvey marched up the steps and stood next to it with a scroll of parchment in his hand that he unrolled and held out in front of him and cleared his throat.

I could feel Albus stiffen next to me as my nerves that had temporarily subsided returned. This was it. The moment I had been dreading all day.

“Adams, Luci,” Professor Harvey called out as he lifted the hat from the stool. 

A short girl with light brown hair nervously walked up the steps and sat on the stool. Albus and I watched in horror as Professor Harvey placed the hat on her head and her eyes disappeared behind its brim.

The hat moved her head from side to side and after what seemed like forever, the tear in the hat opened wide like a mouth and shouted out, “RAVENCLAW!”

Cheers erupted from the table furthest to right of the hall as a very relieved looking Luci Adams ran quickly to it to join her housemates. 

Professor Harvey continued on through the list as I anxiously looked around the hall for my cousins sitting at the Gryffindor table. They wore expressions of great interest as, “Bryant, Lena and Creevy, Denise,” were sorted into Gryffindor. 

They cheered louder than the Ravenclaw table had done when Luci had been sorted there.

Names flew past as the sorting hat quickly placed Goyle, Michael in Slytherin; Hale, Sarah in Hufflepuff and it wasn’t until I heard, Longbottom, Benji, when I refocused my attention on the sorting.

Slowly and with the help of Andy, Benji walked up the steps and sat carefully down on the stool. Andy stepped aside and I saw that behind the Staff table was Mrs. Longbottom clutching tightly to Professor Longbottom’s hand, both of them were standing up watching their son with tears in their eyes.

As I turned my attention back to what was happening, I watched happily as Professor Harvey placed the hat upon Benji’s head. It only took a minute, but I am sure it lasted forever for his parents before the hat yelled out, “GRYFFINDOR!”

Out of all of the sortings thus far, none of them had cheered this loudly for their fellow housemate as they did for Benji as Andy helped him down the steps and to the Gryffindor table. 

My heart swelled as I watched the smile on his face grow larger than I had ever seen it before. The cheers continuing on from his housemates for many minutes after the hat sorted him.

“Malfoy, Scorpius.” Professor Harvey called out as the roar of the din quieted down and I snapped my head quickly around to watch. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder.

“Excuse me,” Scorpius gently said as he walked between Albus and I. The warmth of his touch made my stomach flutter again as I watched him walk up the steps.

The hat had barely touched his head before it shouted, “RAVENCLAW!”

Crickets could be heard as the echo of the hat’s word bounced off the walls around the room. Jaws of students had dropped and then were quickly replaced with whispers. 

I couldn’t believe it either a Malfoy being sorted into Ravenclaw? Scorpius, I noticed as I watched him walk slowly to the far table, was just as stunned as everyone else in the room. His eyes caught mine and he smiled sadly. 

I know from my parents that his family had always been sorted into Slytherin and that he was the first to ever be sorted into Ravenclaw. ‘He’s probably going to get a telling off from his father when he writes home tonight,’ I thought to myself.

The rest of the sorting continued by in a blur of names being called, houses being shouted out and cheers erupting from those respective houses until Potter, Albus was called. 

He flinched beside me as he sighed heavily before he walked as quickly as he could to the sorting hat. I watched as he sat down gripping the sides of the top of the stool and his eyes disappear behind the brim. After about a minute or so we all heard the hat shout “GRYFFINDOR!”

Albus grinned from ear to ear and any nervousness that he had felt before he was sorted had completely washed away in a matter of minutes. James I saw was clapping for him, but with a displeased look on his face. My family is so weird. 

Professor Harvey continued to read names from the list until I finally heard “Weasley, Rose.”

I tried to be as confident as possible as I urged myself to move forward. I took every step carefully and sat down on the stool as Professor Harvey lowered the hat down upon my head and a voice filled my ears.

“What’s this? Oh a unique one you are… Another Weasley, but what is this I sense here? Could it be a Granger as well? Now that makes my task even more difficult than it would have been… Where or where do I put you Granger-Weasley?” The sorting hat asked me.

My mind raced as I thought back to my conversation on the train with Victoire, James and Albus.

“Gryffindor or Ravenclaw huh?” It questioned.

The hat went on for quite sometime in silence just thinking of where I should be placed as my head turned from side to side. I began to panic and fear that maybe I wouldn’t be sorted. Maybe I would be the one who didn’t have a house in Hogwarts to call my own, but I was smarter than that. I knew that it wasn’t even a possibility to not be sorted. 

“Well I do sense a great deal of courage in you,” the hat reasoned as it continued to talk in my ear interrupting my childish thoughts. “But I think you have an eagerness to prove yourself, to challenge yourself. Yep, I know where to place you… RAVENCLAW!”

The hall had the same exact reaction that they had for Malfoy and all eyes watched me as I stood silently. I glanced at my cousin’s open mouths as I passed the Gryffindor table for the Ravenclaw one. I took my seat as the hall returned its attention to the last of my classmates to be sorted. Zabini, Thomas, went to Slytherin.

Professor Harvey picked up the stool and the sorting hat as Headmistress McGonagall walked up to the podium.

“Welcome!” She told us all as she smiled warmly looking around to all of the students in the room. “Welcome to the start of another wonderful year here at Hogwarts. All first years, please be advised that the Forbidden Forest is, for lack of a better term, forbidden. Tomorrow morning all of you will receive your class schedules during breakfast from your head of house. For you new students that don’t know the heads of house they are as follows, for Gryffindor that would be Professor Longbottom, Hufflepuff is Professor Harrington, Ravenclaw is Professor Dashwood and Slytherin is Professor Jenkins.”

Each of the Professors stood as she announced their names giving a curt nod to the crowd of hungry students. 

“Now,” she said happily. “Tuck in!”

Dishes of all sorts appeared up and down the table and I didn’t know where to start, so I just started with putting a little bit of everything on my plate. I was a Weasley after all. 

Once my plate was full, I began to eat and listened to the conversations around me. Luci Adams had been talking about Hatstalls. 

“There have only been two in history!” She informed those nearest to her which was mostly first years. 

“Do you know who they were?” A girl named Connie asked.

“Yes! They were Headmistress McGonagall and a boy named Peter Pettigrew!” She exclaimed happily. 

“I thought you were going to be a hatstall Rose,” she said watching me interestedly. 

“What do you mean?” I asked dumbly as I continued to stuff my face with all the yummy food I was able to pile onto my plate. “I was only up there for a minute and a hatstall is anything over five.”

Scorpius shook his head. “You were up there for almost four and a half minutes.”

“What?” I said in shock dropping my fork down onto the table surface. 

Luci nodded. “You really were.”

I sat in silence as they continued to converse around me. ‘Almost a hatstall,’ I thought to myself. I have to admit, I was excited, but I didn’t want to come off as arrogant about it. I finished eating my dinner just as the dishes disappeared and were instantly replaced by desserts. 

When I zoned back into the conversation as I looked around at all the lovely puddings in front of me, I overheard Malfoy talking about writing home. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. How would my parents take the news of me being sorted into Ravenclaw? I was the first, to my knowledge, in my family to be sorted there, but I thought back to what my dad said on the platform... “If you’re not in Gryffindor, we’ll disinherit you.” My heart sank and I felt a heavy knot form in my stomach that forced me to pass on my favorite dessert, Yorkshire pudding.

They would accept it right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Well here is chapter two! I would love to know what you thought! :) Benji is a special character of mine that has been inspired by a real life hero of mine that goes by the name of D.
> 
> Credit: JK Rowling 
> 
> “If you’re not in Gryffindor, we’ll disinherit you.” -Ron Weasley Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows US EDITION. Epilogue Nineteen Years Later Page 755


	3. First Day Fiasco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am excited for my first day, but I never thought it would end the way it did.

Once the feast had ended, we stood up as the hall filled with the noise of scraping benches and a Prefect named Emily began to call out, “All first year Ravenclaws, this way!”

Our small little group made its way over to her anxiously not comfortable with being summoned by an older student let alone one who held a position over us. I looked around as we stood waiting and noticed the others that had been sorted into my house that I hadn’t even remembered getting sorted. There were two other girls besides Luci and three other boys not including Malfoy. I must have been really nervous and zoned out if I hadn’t noticed them being sorted.

When all of us finished gathering around Emily she began, “Alright you lot. Stick together and follow me!”

We made our way back out into the entrance hall and as we did I caught sight of Albus and Benji. I waved to them both as I passed by and noticed a sad smile on Albus’ face as he waved back. I rolled my eyes. There was absolutely nothing I could do about being sorted into a different house, so why should it matter now?

We continued to walk through the castle and only stopped when we arrived at the moving staircases. Looking up was quite magnificent. Each one moved and paused as it joined together with different corridors. Beside me, I heard Luci give an audible gasp.

“Now you will always want to keep an eye on the staircases,” Emily informed the group. “They always like to continue to change. Follow me this way.” She said as we walked onto the nearest staircase and continued in her direction.

We walked on and I found myself looking at the walls covered in portraits of witches and wizards who were pointing, waving and running into their neighbors frames just to watch us pass by.

Weird little fact, even though I had grown up completely immersed in the wizarding world, the fact that the portraits and pictures could move always amazed me each and every time I would see it. There was something truly beautiful in the way that magic could enhance art.

Finally, after a lot more walking we approached a spiraling staircase lined with long elliptical windows that would give us a great view of the surrounding grounds during the day. At the top of the steps, was a heavy looking wooden door with a bronze eagle-shaped knocker. Emily waited until all of us were in view and announced happily, “This is the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room. In order to get in, you must answer a riddle.”

“But how will we know what the riddle is?” Asked a dark haired boy.

“Like this,” Emily said as she smiled and reached her hand up and knocked the knocker once upon the door. A loud voice rang out causing some of my housemates jumped in surprise.

“What word becomes shorter when you add letters to it?”

Emily looked around at the group of us waiting for someone to speak up. “Anyone?”

A gentle voice broke through some murmurs. Malfoy. “Short. Adding ‘er’ to short makes it shorter,” he answered tiredly. 

“Very good!” The knocker exclaimed as the door opened and we walked into the common room.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. The ceiling was dome-shaped and royal blue with what looked like twinkling stars dancing happily around above us. The windows that dotted the walls, matched the ones on the staircase, but were increased in size and each window had a usable, comfortable looking window seat. The walls all around us were covered in tall bookshelves lined with beautifully bound leather books waiting eagerly to be picked and read. Next to the door was a bust of Rowena Ravenclaw that sort of looked like it was keeping watch over the staircase next to her. Upon her head sat the tiara that my parents used to tell Hugo and I about during bedtime stories.

“Up these steps,” Emily began to say. “You will find your dormitory. Your things have already been brought up for you.” 

Emily began to herd us all in the direction of the staircase and after a minute or so of prodding, we all began to climb. When we reached the top, a corridor split off in two different directions. 

“Girls to the right and boys to the left.” Emily called up to us.

I veered to the right among my dorm mates until we came to a door that read “First Years”. 

Inside the room were four four poster beds lined with dark blue curtains. Each bed had a desk next to it and along the walls were matching windows to the ones downstairs.

I walked around in the room taking it all in and reality set in that this would be my home for the next seven years. The excitement I felt when I received my Hogwarts letter came flooding back to me and the endless possibilities swept away any fears I had.

I found my bed to be the one directly across from the door and next to the bathroom. My owl, Artemis hooted happily at me in her cage. I went straight to her and let her out. She stretched her wings and perched up upon the railing of my four poster. I continued to unpack my things, tossing my books carelessly on the bed and rummaging around inside the trunk for some spare parchment and a quill. 

When I walked over to the desk and sat down. I glanced around the room where I noticed Luci was hanging a poster of some muggle band with a really weird name ‘Pink Floyd’ on the wall above her headboard. The other two, who I had learned now, were Meredith Chang and Leisa Wellesley, were pulling out random items from their trunks too. 

I gazed at the blank parchment in front of me willing it to write itself as I felt that uncomfortable knot in my stomach return and tighten. I knew that they wouldn’t care where I was sorted, well at least my mum wouldn’t be, but the comment my dad made on the platform wouldn’t leave my mind. The pressure I felt being their daughter was so overwhelming that I decided that I better include some things I thought they would want to hear or expect.

Hi Mum and Daddy!

I love Hogwarts! The ride on the train was quite uneventful, but my favorite part was seeing Hogwarts for the first time as we crossed the black lake. You were both right on how amazed I would be! Also, I could have sworn I saw a tentacle of the giant squid, but I can’t be so sure because of the poor lighting. 

‘Truth.’ I thought to myself as I read over the first paragraph.

I was nervous when Headmistress McGonagall called me up to be sorted. I was almost a hatstall mum, but then after about four and a half minutes the sorting hat yelled out RAVENCLAW! Albus was sorted into Gryffindor immediately! 

I stopped writing for a moment only to realize that I wrote Headmistress McGonagall instead of Professor Harvey. ‘Scratch that out.’ I told myself mentally as I ran two lines through Headmistress McGonagall’s name and wrote above it Professor Harvey.

Mum you were right about the library it’s huge! I cannot wait until tonight when I have homework and I can go to the library to study! 

Lie. Bold. Face. Lie. I hadn’t even seen the library and wasn’t looking forward to homework at all. I was smart, but I wasn’t like my mother either, but ever since I was little I felt the pressure to always be the best, even if that meant I wasn’t happy with it. There are too many other things that I want to do than study while I’m here. ‘Like Quidditch.’ I thought.

Hugs and kisses,  
Rosie

P.S: Daddy, just so you know, Scorpius was sorted into Ravenclaw too!

He’s really not going to be fond of that last line and before you wonder 'then why did you tell him?' trust me, in my family it is better coming from someone like me than it would be James. Thank you Malfoy, for being flipping alive. Now every time I go home for any breaks or holidays, I will be relentlessly drilled about what the “Malfoy kid” is up to. I rolled my eyes just thinking about it. 

Finally I pulled myself away from writing as I heard my dorm mates around me getting ready for bed. 

I rolled the parchment up and sealed it. I called Artemis over to me and tied it gently to her leg. As I carried her over to the window Luci came over and opened it for me. I stuck my arm out of the window and the weight on my arm rapidly lifted. She was gone.

“Night!” Luci called over to me excitedly.

“Night.” I responded dully. 

I climbed into bed and pulled the curtains shut around me. Laying there looking up at the black ceiling was like looking into a black hole. It was completely endless and slowly sucked my consciousness away until I was sleep without even realizing it.

 

 

The next morning, I awoke to the other three girls rustling around the dorm preparing for the day. Sometime in the night, the house elves brought up our uniforms. Mine was sitting on the top of my trunk. I smiled to myself as I ran my hand across the Ravenclaw Crest.

“We’ve only got about forty minutes until breakfast ends.” I heard Leisa say. 

I picked up my uniform and made a mad dash for the bathroom. The excitement of the first day egging me on each step of the way. When I reappeared I noticed that Luci was the only one left in the dormitory. 

“Ready to go?” She asked me eagerly.

“Sure,” I smiled back feeling a bit unsure. I liked Luci, she was nice, but I wasn’t the type of person that easily made friends. I was always skeptical about people because the majority of the time, they only wanted to get to know me because of my parents. 

Luci gave me an odd look. 

“What?” I bluntly asked her raising my eyebrow. 

“Well,” she began to say as we walked towards the door. “You just seem annoyed with me for waiting for you.”

‘Seriously? Does she have ESP?’ I quickly thought to myself. This totally caught me off guard. If I didn't know any better maybe I misjudged her.

“I…” I started to say weakly as I tugged at my collar. Is it hot in here? “I just… I don’t easily make friends.”

“Is it because of your parents?” She questioned more as we walked down the steps into the common room below. 

I nodded. “Partially.”

Luci smiled warmly. “It’s okay. I understand. It can’t be easy for you having the parents you do and meeting people who seem only interested in that fact and that fact alone.”

“Are you a Seer?” I thought out loud.

“No, why?” She wondered as she eyed me carefully.

“Never mind.” I finished as we headed towards the Great Hall. My stomach gave a rumble of hunger and we both laughed. 

‘Maybe,’ I thought. ‘Maybe I will be able to make friends.’

When we arrived in the Great Hall, Luci left me for the Ravenclaw table as I made my way over to the Gryffindor table to say a quick hello to Albus and Benji. 

“Rosie!” Benji called happily at me as I neared him and Albus. Andy, Benji’s aide was sitting on the other side of Benji and smiled. “We have classes together!” He said proudly. 

I smiled in return. “Really Benj? What ones?”

“Tell her Alby!” Benji continued excitedly. 

“We have Defense, Potions and Flying lessons together today.” Albus said as he handed me his schedule to look over. 

“Sweet! Flying lessons!” I said a little too loudly as people close by all turned their eyes to me. 

“I bet you I can get off the ground first!” Albus dared with a huge lopsided grin on his face.

“You’re on!” I grinned mischievously back. This was going to be an excellent day!

Having flying lessons was the best thing I could think of to make my morning go by that much faster. Sure, I loved Defense, and I liked Potions, but Flying… it was my thing.

At every Weasley get together, I would spend more time on a broom playing Quidditch in the garden of the Burrow, then I would inside visiting with the rest of the family. One of my goals when I came to Hogwarts would be to try out for the Quidditch team and yes, I know that the majority of those who try out in first year, never get picked. I wanted to change that. 

After lunch, it was finally time for flying lessons with the Gryffindors. Sadly, Benji had to sit out and only watch since his disability wouldn’t allow him to capably handle a broom and no one wanted to see him get hurt. In typical Benji fashion, he sat on the side smiling and cheering on Albus and I. 

“So you honestly think you’re good enough for the house team?” Albus asked me as we waited for Madam Pennett our flying instructor to being. She was busily moving up and down the two lines of students handing out brooms. 

“Of course I am!” I confidently advised him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He put his hands up in a defensive position. “I was just asking. No need to get all riled up over it.”

A laugh came from behind us and we both turned to see Malfoy laughing at us. “You really think you can? Must be just because you’re a Weasley you think you can make the team?”

Albus dropped his broom, his fists balled as he started forward, but I held out my arm, catching him right around his chest. 

“How dare you Malfoy!” Albus spat as Malfoy continued to laugh.

“I will make the house team,” I began to say as Albus relaxed next to me. “I’m just sorry that you’ll have to sit in the stands to watch since nobody with the name Malfoy could ever be talented enough to play!”

That wiped the smug look right of his face and placed one right on mine instead. “Jerk!” I said as I turned back around just as Madam Pennett was calling everyone to attention.

“Now, listen carefully first years. Place your brooms on the ground on your dominant side.” She informed us as we all followed her instructions. 

“Once you’ve done that, hold out your hand and tell the broom in a firm voice, UP!”

I looked at Albus and rolled my eyes as he quietly chuckled beside me. 

“Up!” I told my broom and without any trouble at all it jumped into my hand. 

I grinned as I looked around at the rest of my classmates to see that I was one of three who had been able to get their broom in hand on the first try. The other two were Albus and Malfoy. 

After a few moments, Madam Pennett began to continue. “Now, before you get on your brooms and I allow you to take off, please note that any form of roughhousing or whatnot will land you straight in detention. Does everyone understand me?” 

The class repeated in unison, “Yes, Madam Pennett.”

“Good. Without further ado, go ahead and mount your broom. Make sure you lean forward just a little bit and you’ll be able to hover. If you feel more comfortable in just taking off, then please also be advised that you stay lower than the castle walls around us and in this vicinity only. Off you go!”

“Last one in the air’s a rotten flavored Bertie Bean!” I shouted at Albus who only stuck out his tongue which made me snort. 

I lifted off on my broom and zoomed off leaving the class behind. The air whipped through my hair and I felt that calm sense of happiness come over me. As I looked down I watched as many had struggled to even hover and I watched Benji jumping up and down pointing up to me. When flew a bit closer to him, I noticed that he seemed to be upset instead of his happy go lucky self and when I realized he was trying to warn me, I turned to look in the direction he was pointing to too late. That is when everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: I am sorry that this took longer than intended. I ended up getting very sick these past couple of days, so here is a shiny new chapter to make up for it! I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think! 
> 
> The letter seen here is taken from the letter Rose wrote home in my One-shot Sequel Only Yesterday.


	4. Try Outs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Like I got run over by a herd of Hippogriffs.” I said moaning as my head throbbed. “What happened?”

The sun was setting when I woke up in the hospital wing with pain in my head and in my arm. Luci was sitting next to me reading a book as I heard bustling footsteps headed my way. 

“Ah good, you’re awake!” Madam Pomfrey announced as she put the back of her hand up against my forehead. 

“What happened?” I asked sitting up too quickly and felt my head swim.

“You took quite a fall off of your broom during your lessons today. You ended up with a cracked skull and a broken arm,” Madam Pomfrey informed me. “The arm is almost mended, but the skull will be keeping you here over night I’m afraid. 

I groaned as she checked my vital signs.

“Everything is going to be just fine Ms. Weasley,” she began to say then turned to Luci. “Only twenty more minutes Ms. Adams.” 

Luci nodded and watched me anxiously as the nurse walked away. Once she had heard the door shut to her office she began to talk.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I got run over by a herd of Hippogriffs.” I said moaning as my head throbbed. “What happened?”

“Well,” she began looking around uncomfortably. “You fell.”

“Oddly enough Luci I ascertained that from what Madam Pomfrey said.” I informed her a bit more harshly than I intended as I saw Luci’s face fall a little. “Sorry, it just hurts and I really want to know.”

She nodded at me when the door to the hospital wing swung open. 

“I said I would take it to her!” I heard Albus yell.

“Shut it Potter!” Malfoy yelled back as they approached my bed and stopped just at the foot of it.

“What do you want Malfoy?” I asked angrily feeling my blood begin to boil.

“Here’s your bloody homework!” He shouted as he threw my work onto my bed and stormed off.

I looked between Albus and Luci. “Would somebody please tell me what the bloody hell is going on!?"

Albus hung his head as Luci piped up. “You shot off into the air on your broom and when you turned around to look at the group of us below,” she hesitated before continuing. “Albus followed you, but was turned around yelling at Malfoy…”

“I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going Rosie!” Albus shouted guiltily. 

“YOU did this to me?” I screamed at Albus as I felt a sharp pain in my head and shut my eyes quickly hoping to quell it. “Then what is wrong with Malfoy?”

“He got detention.” Luci answered quickly as Albus glowered at her. 

“Wait!” I said as I tried to slowly sit up and put my fingers on the bridge of my nose as I thought about the entire situation. I wanted to make sure I was understanding what they were saying to me. “I flew into the air with Albus behind me and it was Albus that ran into me, not Malfoy, causing me to fall because he wasn’t watching where he was going while yelling at Malfoy?”

Luci nodded and Albus barely made eye contact.

“And Malfoy has detention and threw my homework at me because?” I asked the pair of them.

“Malfoy has detention because we began fighting once we both landed on the ground.” Albus injected this information into the conversation. “He threw your homework at you because Madam Pennett assigned us with assisting in making sure that you got it.”

I looked at my cousin curiously as Luci watched on. “So, you began to fight with him over what?” I asked him dangerously.

“Look Rose,” Albus began as he nervously scratched the back of his head. “We just did alright. There isn’t a good explanation for it. He’s just Malfoy and I was angry.”

“Albus Severus Potter, that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say!” I told him unhappily.

Before Albus could reply, Madam Pomfrey was hovering over us and reminding my visitors that twenty minutes had ended ten minutes ago.

“We’ll see you tomorrow Rose.” Luci said as I watched her and Albus began walking towards the door.

“Night.” I called back.

The next day went by in a blur. I had been discharged from the hospital wing just after lunch and entering my Transfiguration class halfway through, leaving me with Charms and Herbology afterwards which were, thankfully, super easy. I loved the last two classes mostly because we were able to do things instead of just sitting and listening to a lecture. 

After that came dinner where I totally ignored Albus’ existence and when Luci and I finished and arrived back in the common room, we noticed an excited crowd around the notice board. 

“I wonder what’s going on?” Luci simply stated as we made our way over and catching bits and pieces of conversations.

“I am totally trying out again this year.”

“They would be mental to not choose me!”

“What position are you going to try out for?”

“I want to be a Chaser!”

My heartbeat began to race with every step I took closer to the notice board. When I looked up, there was a flyer with, you guessed it, the Ravenclaw Quidditch teams tryouts.

“Yes!” I exclaimed loudly and punched my fist into the air in triumph.

“Are you serious?” Luci asked with a concerned look on her face.

“What?” I wondered looking at her raising an eyebrow.

“Rose,” she began slowly. “You just cracked your head open yesterday and now you want to get back on a broom for a sport?”

“Um...yeah!” I told her like it was really not obvious.

“Mental…” She replied as she walked away leaving me to stare at the flyer.

“First years never usually make the house team.” Malfoy called out as he walked up behind me. 

I did everything I could to keep my eyes focused on the paper in front of me and not to slap him. “No, the don’t, but it has happened and I will be the one to make it happen again.”

“Such ambition… maybe the sorting hat placed you in the wrong house.” He suggested as a chill ran down my spine.

I hesitated, “You would know all about being sorted into the wrong house.” I childishly replied, but when I turned to look, he was nowhere to be found.

‘What a git!’ I thought to myself as I tore my eyes away from the notice board. I had a ton of homework to do and I needed to get it done by Thursday when tryouts would be held.

As I ascended the stairs I could see that Malfoy reappeared at the notice board and I stopped to watch him carefully. ‘I’ll show him,’ I thought as I felt that odd flutter in my stomach. Brushing it off, I slowly continued to climb the steps and make my way to my dorm. I may be just a Weasley, but this plain Jane was going to stand out if it was the last thing I did.

The next week of school had gone by quite quickly and without any real incident. My head was feeling much better, but I occasionally felt a twinge of pain that reminded me of why I was still somewhat annoyed with prat of a cousin Albus. I tried not to focus on it too much because of the Quidditch tryouts I needed all my attention there as I was determined beyond anything to make the house team.

Luci, who was now becoming one of my good friends and had truly helped me when I was recovering from my injuries, walked down to the pitch with me to lend her support.

When we arrived, it was crowded with Ravenclaw’s preparing to take to the sky and Gryffindor’s who were just wrapping up their tryouts. 

“Rosie!” Benji’s familiar voice filled my ears as I turned in his direction to see him and Andy smiling and waving at us. 

“Come on.” I demanded to Luci who followed me without question. She didn’t really know Benji like I did, but by watching her, you would have never known. It was like they had known each other their entire life. 

“Hi Luce!” Benji exclaimed as we sat down on the bench in front of them.

“Hi!” Luci smiled warmly back as I watched the exchange between them. It was so sweet to see another person accept Benji for Benji. In turn he was a great judge of character and so it really helped me in letting my guard down when it came to being friends with Luci.

“So Benji,” I began as I turned around to address him. “How did Albus do?”

Benji smiled. “He did alright, but he was nervous.” 

I glanced at Andy who was nodding beside him as I let a small smile slip onto my face. ‘Serves him right!’ I thought as I turned back around to listen as the Gryffindor captain was beginning to end their tryouts. 

“First of all, thank you everyone for trying out, even those of you who are first years. Now if you didn’t make it this year, there is always a chance for you to try out again next year, so please don’t be discouraged.” He finished as he looked at his clipboard. 

“The two new Gryffindor chasers are…” He glanced down. “Rogers and Ellsworth.”

Cheers erupted around him as friends clapped the two new chasers on the back.

“Now, as for the Keeper position goes to…” He again glanced back down. “Albus Potter!”

All of the Gryffindor’s sitting around began to cheer and clap their newest and proudest member of their house team. Albus grinned happily as those around him cheered and ruffled his hair.

A cool voice behind Benji cut through the cheering and I turned to find Malfoy looking on in disgust. “Obviously the only reason he was chosen was because of his last name,” he said to Evan Michaels a second year Ravenclaw who was nodding in agreement beside him.

I rolled my eyes. I knew he was only sitting there and saying these things to get to me as he knew I would be trying out here in a matter of minutes for our house team. 

I turned back around ignoring his taunt to anger me. Internally all I could think of was Albus and the incident that happened last week. I was still a bit cross with him, but I was happy for him for making the house team, wasn’t I?

“Rose!” Luci shouted next to me and gestured to the pitch. 

“Huh? What!” I jumped in my seat as Benji giggled behind me. 

She leaned in closer to me and whispered, “Ravenclaw is calling for all people interested in trying out.”

I stood up a little too quickly and felt my head swim as I tried to steady myself. I was just getting ready to walk down onto the pitch when I felt myself start to fall and braced for the collision against the wood, but it never came. Malfoy had caught me mid fall and easily set me up right with his strong, capable hands. 

I blushed as I sat down on the nearest bench to stable myself as he knelt down beside me. 

“Oi! Malfoy! Back off!” I heard Albus shout out as he climbed the stairs towards our small group and Malfoy stood up. 

Annoyed, I got up and walked down the stairs and as I did, I bumped into Albus with my shoulder against his. 

He gave me a dirty look, “What was that for?”

“You know very well that I can take care of myself. We may only be eleven, but I don’t need you acting like a big brother to me. You’re my cousin nothing more, nothing less.” I informed him as I continued to walk down the steps to the pitch, not bothering to wait for him to reply.

He knew I was still mad at him and it serves him right. If there was one thing that I had in common with my dad, it was definitely how to hold a grudge and this one I wasn’t going to let go.

As I got down to the pitch, I looked around at all of those interested in trying out. There were a lot of older students that looked determined and three first years including myself, Malfoy and a boy I didn’t see sorted named Colin Williams. 

“Ravenclaw needed a new Chaser, a Seeker and two Beaters.” Jack Martin. “Could all of those who are trying out for Chaser, please come over here?” He indicated to his right.

Five people walked over to where he was pointing.

“Good,” he said as he looked back to the rest of us awaiting for our assigned area. “Seeker, over to my left please and Beaters right here in the middle.”

We all moved to our prospective position places with about five per group and I was stunned when Malfoy joined me in the middle. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ I thought as we stood not acknowledging one another.

“Now we’re going to run some drills to see how each of you do in those positions. Once we’ve completed those, I will have you fly around the pitch five times and then I will announce my decisions,” Jack finished as he blew a whistle alerting us all to join him in the air. 

Everything went well even though I spent half of my afternoon into evening with Malfoy. Each position had a station where the prospective players each showed Jack what they could do.

The chasers tossed the quaffle back and forth between them and raced up and down the pitch taking shots at the goal posts. The seekers whizzed around the pitch in search for the elusive snitch each of them in the end coming up with it, but Josie Davies came away with it the fastest. The beaters were all practicing swings and aim. Jack unfortuantely paired Malfoy and I up, but oddly we worked well together. I just imagined his face and Albus’ every time I smacked the bludgers. 

In the end, we all raced around the pitch doing the five laps that Jack requested until we stopped where we all began and waited patiently for him to give us the results. I turned to the stands to see Luci, Benji and Andy smiling and waving. 

James had even joined them to watch the tryouts. Sure he was a Gryffindor, but I knew he wanted to see if I was going to make the team.

“Each of you did really well,” Jack began as he gazed around at all of our tired, pleased looks. “As for the new chaser, will Drew Bryant please come forward.” 

We all clapped as Drew, a fifth year, sprinted over to join Jack, Janae and Fremont, as the newest member of the Ravenclaw team.

“The newest Seeker,” Jack continued as the clapping died down. “Will be… Conor White.”

Again, everyone clapped as Conor made his way to join the team.

I stood anxiously as we waited for Jack to announce the beaters. I really wanted this more than anything to prove to my parents that I could stand out in my own right. 

“The newest beaters will be…” Jack started to say as my nerves continued to rise. “Rose Weasley.”

My jaw dropped. I did this… I really did this! It had nothing to do with my last name or my parents it was all ME! I had a bounce in my step as I joined my team. That will show Malfoy!

The others around me all clapped as I grinned sheepishly and we all waited anxiously for my partner to be announced. 

“Secondly and because I can see the great potential in this pairing is,” Jack said as his voice called me back to reality. “Scorpius Malfoy.”

Oh bloody hell...


	5. Practice Makes Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life at Hogwarts continues. Halloween, Charms and a Practice.

The weather started to change as Halloween was finally upon us. The rain beat down on the windows and the wind howled through the corridors. We walked quickly to our classes to avoid the cold draft that had been coming in through the cracks and crevasses. 

As we walked to our first lesson, Luci was quizzing me on previous charms we had already learned and what their uses were. When we reached the door to our charms classroom we queued up with the first year Gryffindors. 

As I looked around I noticed that Benji wasn’t there and when I thought back to breakfast I couldn’t remember seeing him there either. I scanned the crowd of people that was growing in wait and I eyed my cousin as he leaned up against the wall. 

When he finally made eye contact with me, I mouthed, “Where’s Benji?” He just shrugged in response quickly turning to some other first years in Gryffindor. 

“Maybe he’s sick?” Luci whispered next to me watching my face fill up with concern as she closed the book she had been quizzing me from.

Luci was slowly becoming my best friend. Something I longed for, but feared at the same time. She had this uncanny knack for knowing things even if I didn’t vocalize them. It was fascinating, but at the same time I swear she has Seer blood in her somewhere. I was stunned when I found out that she was a half blood, not that it mattered, but I could have sworn she was a muggleborn. Her granddad had been a part of the old rock group ‘Pink Floyd’ that was popular among the muggles in the mid 1960’s. Or so she told me. That explains the posters above her bed.

“But he never misses classes,” I began to say as the door in front of us swung open and Professor Flitwick came into view.

“Good morning!” He squeaked as we entered with mutters of “good morning” in unison back. Each of us shuffled to our seats and began our lesson. 

Today we were working on Accio the summoning charm. 

“It is a very important charm.” Professor Flitwick heavily emphasized. “It is one that will come in very handy should you ever find yourself in a predicament or even when dealing with something simple. Now…” He continued as he walked around the room. “All of these books here in the center of the room in front of you are here for practice. Please remember the proper wand technique, the strong will to cast the charm and, most importantly, the correct annunciation. Wand’s at the ready… GO!”

As soon as he said ‘Go!’ books began to zoom haphazardly around the room to the various students that summoned them. Some of them, I noticed, had scrunched up faces as though they were mustering all their willpower to cast the charm.

I muffled a laugh with the back of my hand as I continued to watch my classmates for a moment when my eyes fell on my cousin as he sat across the room from me. His face was full of concentration as he worked to summon a book from across the room. A couple of girls behind him swooned as the he caught it. He set the book down and ruffled his hair as he leaned back smugly in his seat causing fresh swoons to be heard over the din. I rolled my eyes at his display.

‘Where was the shy, nervous Albus I knew?’ I thought to myself. 

It had almost been two months since we’ve been at Hogwarts and things between Albus and I have gone from close to nonexistent. Yeah okay, so I was still angry at him for having a hand in my accident, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t want to talk to him or even catch up on how he was doing. He didn’t even congratulate me on making the house team after tryouts!

Making the House teams as first years a feat that wasn’t an easy accomplishment, but with the way that we always play Quidditch during the holidays with the Weasley cousins it was a no brainer that we would both make it, but for him to completely ignore me… that was making me angry. 

My eyes continued to travel around the room until they fell upon Scorpius Malfoy. I watched him as he delicately waved his wand and felt that annoying flutter in my stomach that always seemed to coincide with him being around. After the book landed quietly on his desk, he leaned back in his chair, and began reading the book that he had just summoned. He peered over the top of the book and caught my eye and quirked his eyebrow curiously. 

Our moment of eye contact was broken when the classroom door opened and Benji came in followed closely by Andy. Benji looked sore and tired as he carefully walked to his seat next to Albus. 

When he saw me across the room from him he gave me a sad smile and a small wave. Andy looked in the direction Benji was waving and smiled sadly too.

Something was going on and I was worried. I had never seen Benji look like this before in all of the years that I had known him.

“Ahem!” Professor Flitwick cleared his throat and I tore my eyes off of Benji to see that he was standing in front of my desk. “Ms. Weasley, could you please demonstrate for me the ‘Accio’ charm?”

I nodded as I tried with all my might to focus on what I wanted or what I needed… a book.

“Accio.” I muttered as I flourished my wand. The book that was in front of me landed with a thud and I smiled appreciatively. 

“Very good and on your first attempt! I see you have inherited a lot of your mother’s knack for learning!” He said as he bounced away to another student.

Ugh… there it was again. That steadfast comparison to my mother that I tried with all my might to disassociate myself with, but no matter how hard I tried it never went away. I gave a heavy sigh and laid my head down on my desk. 

Luci nudged me softly. “It’ll be okay Rose.”

I ignored her. I knew she was right, but I was just so fed up with it. No one understood how I felt better than Albus, but with the way he has been acting lately there was no way I could talk to him about how I felt. As I continued to pout, I felt as if someone was watching me and when I looked up to see who it was, the bell rang. 

I sighed again and lifted my bag to my shoulder. I waited with Luci until Benji made it to where we were standing. 

“You okay Benj?” I asked him as I looked hesitantly at Andy.

Benji nodded and continued to walk away, but Andy hung back for a moment.

“He’s upset that his appointment didn’t go so well this morning,” he informed Luci and I as we continued to walk towards the door a ways behind Benji. “He’s worried about the things that he will never be able to do.”

My heart fell. Here I was wallowing in self pity, trying to find ways for me to stand out on my own and here was one of my oldest, dearest friends who is constantly fighting everyday just to accomplish what he can. I felt like a complete heel. I never really gave any thought to how difficult life could be for Benji. I guess that is because I just saw him for him and never stopped to think of the challenges he faced.

“I’ve been a terrible friend!” I shouted at Andy and Luci.

“Stop being so over dramatic Weasley.” A soft voice said behind me. 

I turned to see Malfoy giving me a thoughtful look. It was confusing and I didn’t know how to respond. Thankfully Luci had been there to speak up.

“I think,” she began softly glancing between Malfoy and I. “That Scorpius means that you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself about the way you feel. I am sure that Benji knows that you adore him, but how could you possibly know exactly how he feels? Just because you can’t doesn’t make you a horrible friend.”

Again, I had no response. Was I just being too hard on myself? She was right. I was a good friend to Benji and there isn’t any possible way that I could know just how Benji was feeling. None. 

“I guess I shouldn’t wallow in my own self pity anymore.” I said in response as Luci placed her hand on my shoulder.

“You’ll overcome what you fear Rose.” She told me wisely. 

See it is moments like this that make me think she really does know more than what meets the eye.

Luci and Andy began to walk away in order to catch up with Benji who was on his way to our next class leaving Malfoy and I to walk together behind them as that annoying flutter began to creep up into my stomach again.

“You’re not the only one who is trying to escape a past you know.” Scorpius said as he walked beside me.

I had never thought about that, but didn't respond because I didn't want to hear any truths he would throw at me.

The rest of the day went by quickly and uneventful. It was Halloween after all and I think that the Professors were just as excited about it as the students since we had received the least amount of homework we’ve ever had since we arrived at school.

When we Luci and I entered the Great Hall for dinner, we couldn’t believe our eyes. Swarms of bats floated lazily above us. Candles and Jack-o-lanterns bobbed up and down in mid air and the tables had been adorned with the yummiest looking feast I have ever seen. Yes, even more so than the welcoming feast. 

We made our way to our table and found our dorm mates Meredith and Leisa. I sat down across from them so I could see the Gryffindor table behind them. I looked up and down until my eyes found each of my cousin’s and Benji who seemed to be in better spirits than he was this morning. James I noticed was watching Albus, his face full of amusement and trickery as Albus was surrounded by a herd of girls looking rather pleased with himself and completely clueless at the same time. 

I ate as many savory dishes as I could pile onto my plate earning me disapproving looks from Leisa and Meredith. Luci however laughed, but when I turned to her I noticed that instead of laughing at the faces that Meredith and Leisa made, she was laughing at Malfoy.

At what? I don’t know because at that very moment the dishes in front of us had vanished and had been replaced by various sweets and puddings as far as the eye could see. The rest of the night is a complete blur because I ended up getting so stuffed full of delicious food and desserts that I was now in a state of food coma. Not good considering tomorrow was our first Quidditch practice.

November first dawned with a beautiful sunrise that kissed the land it touched as it rose above the horizon. The sky was a piercing blue without a cloud in it at all. I could see in the distance steam billowing up off of the lake as I walked down to the changing rooms. I skipped breakfast altogether this morning after last nights binge I didn’t feel like I could eat another thing for at least a week or maybe it was because I was a bundle of nerves. 

When I entered the changing room I realized that I wasn’t alone. Malfoy was just putting the final touches of his uniform on as I strolled in. I hesitated when I saw him and I wasn’t fast enough to catch the door before it shut loudly behind me. ‘Damn!’ I thought internally.

He looked around and nodded in my direction. “You ready for practice?” 

“Getting there.” I responded as I walked over to the locker that had the name plate of ‘Weasley’ on the front of it. I ran my hands across it trying to take in every moment of my largest accomplishment to date.

I could see Malfoy continue to curiously watch me from the corner of my eye as I opened the locker to see my uniform hanging neatly inside of it. I pulled it out to see that I was number four. My new beaters bat hung lonely inside as I prepared to dress myself and took off my shirt revealing a tank top I had been wearing underneath.

“Ah hem.” I cleared my throat loudly. “Do you mind?”

“What? Oh! Sorry!” Malfoy said as he stumbled forward into his locker to grab his bat. “I’ll jus-just wait outside.”

‘What a weirdo’ I thought to myself as I watched him quickly leave the changing room. You would have thought I had stripped down naked and started to dance around with the way he was acting. ‘He better straighten up’ I continued to think as I dressed.

After five minutes or so I was already to go. I grabbed my bat and hoisted my broom up over my shoulder and marched out the door. As I was leaving the rest of the team had arrived. 

“We’ll meet you on the pitch in ten minutes Weasley!” Jack Martin the House Captain informed me as he walked past.

I nodded and continued on my way to the pitch where I found Malfoy leaning up against the framing of the stands. 

“Ready?” I asked as I approached.

He gave me a knowing smirk and responded back. “Ready!”

We both took to the air before the rest of the team arrived. 

It was such an intoxicating feeling, flying. The chance to clear my mind of all the worry and expectations laid out before me were gone, if only for moments, it was pure bliss. 

I did a few laps around the pitch when I noticed below me the rest of the team arriving and apparently Malfoy noticed to since we both flew down to meet them. 

“All right you lot listen up!” Jack shouted. “Here is what we’re going to do… we a going to warm up by doing ten laps. After that we are going to have a mock game. Drew, Janae and Fremont you will be leading the way with the Quaffle. I want you to fly and act like this is a real game. I will be at the far goal posts and ready to take your shots.”

Drew, Janae and Fremont flew off to start their laps.

Jack turned to our Seeker. “Conor, once you’re in the air and have your laps complete, I will release the snitch. Wallace,” he indicated to the person standing next to him. “will be keeping time of how long it takes you to catch the snitch throughout practice. This way we will know how quick you truly are and where we can make up some time if we need too.”

Conor nodded and flew off.

Jack turned his attention then to Malfoy and I. “Rose and Scorpius, I want you two to work together and do everything you can to become one unit. Beaters have to be able to communicate in ways that the rest of us don’t. It is very important that you do this because each of us will be counting on you two to keep us safe up there. Got that?”

We both nodded and flew off to complete our laps. Once we finished, Jack released the Quaffle, bludgers and snitch. 

I readied my bat as Malfoy shouted at me to take the left side. I gave a curt nod and flew to the opposite side of the pitch. I was stunned at how easily we could work together at smacking bludgers away and towards the other end of the pitch. We both had great aim and agility on a broom. It was almost as if we could read the other as we moved around dodging in and out of the speeding chasers. 

When practice finally ended, Jack pulled Malfoy and I aside. “That was brilliant! You two worked so well together! One thing I would do is maybe next time, switch it up and see if you do well on the opposite sides. For a first time out on the pitch for a practice and being two first years you both did very well!”

He patted us both on the shoulder before he ran to catch up with the rest of the team who had been returning into the changing rooms. 

Malfoy and I were all alone save for the few spectators that came out to watch the practice.

“You did well Rose.” He said as he turned to join the team leaving me standing there in his wake.

My stomach gave that all too familiar flutter. “Thanks” I managed to mutter in response as I felt my face grow warm.


	6. Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw

On the morning of our first Quidditch game I woke up more nervous than I was for anything else I had ever done in my entire life. When I looked out the window, my uneasy feeling grew. It was windy and the tops of the trees looked like they had been permanently angled. The sky was cloudy and I couldn’t overlook the chance that it may rain.

Practices had been going really well and Malfoy and I had been working well as a team, but I wasn’t entirely confident. We had never had to practice in anything, but cooler temperatures. 

I sighed loudly as I hoisted myself up and drew the curtains apart, “This is going to be interesting.”

I took my time picking out something to wear before I headed to the bathroom. I glanced at my desk to the unruly mountain of homework and the un-open letter from my parents, their response to the one I had sent ages ago I groaned as I turned away. 

The only good thing about this match is that it would definitely take my mind off of all the homework I had waiting for me when I returned to my dorm tonight. 

I quickly dressed and as I came out of the bathroom I noticed that Luci was waking up. 

“Morning sleepy head!” I called out to her as I tossed my pj’s onto my bed and picked up my hairbrush in a lazy attempt to tame my rowdy hair. 

Luci yawned. “Good morning. You ready for the game?”

I nodded as I bent over and laced up my trainers. “As ready as I will ever be I suppose.”

About ten minutes later we were walking down to breakfast. When we entered the Great Hall, there were cheers from the respective houses whenever one of their players arrived. When we sat down, I had a perfect view of the Gryffindor table. 

Benji, I noticed was sitting with Andy who was doing his best to help Benji with his food. James was covered from head to toe in scarlet and gold, Victoire was busy chatting with some of my other cousins and Albus had just entered the hall. Cheers erupted, but mostly from the fan club of girls he had gained since we arrived and made it onto our house teams. 

I rolled my eyes. 

“Jealous that your cousin has a harem?” A cool voice asked as its owner sat down across from me. 

Malfoy. Great. 

“No, I’m not thank you very much.” I told him as I went back to sipping my orange juice.

“Luci, is there anyway that you could help me with the potions essay tonight?” He asked leaning over the table.

Luci smiled politely. “Sure! We can all meet up at the library after the match.” She looked between the two of us. “That is if we don’t win…” Her voice trailed off as she blushed and looked down at her plate like it was the most interesting thing in the room.

I completely ignored her last comment because I didn’t want to even begin to imagine what our lives would be like if we lost… especially with all my family in the house we will be competing against. 

“The library?” I whined, pushing the scrambled eggs around my plate with my fork.

“Oh come on,” Scorpius said grinning. “The library isn’t that bad once you get past all the snogging couples.”

Luci laughed as I pulled a face in order to try and hide that flutter I get when he says things or looks a certain way after saying them.

I pushed my plate away. “I can’t finish this.” 

I stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table which earned me quite a few unhappy faces from my house mates, but naturally I ignored them all. 

I sat down across from Benji and Andy. “How you doing Benj?”

He smiled his typical smile, but didn’t say anything.

“He’s doing well Rose. How are you?” Andy asked.

I was a bit confused as to why Andy was speaking for Benji and it must have shown on my face because the next thing I knew, Andy was leaning over the table, whispering. “Benji has had a bad week. He’s been getting picked on and appointments have been tough on him. He hasn’t really been making as much progress as he has before and it is starting to frustrate him.”

I reached my hand across the table and gave Benji’s hand a squeeze. “Hang in there buddy!” 

“Rosie!” He said back with a smile.

I stood up and watched Benji sadly. It hurt to know that people were picking on him for being different, but what bothered me more was what Andy said about his progress. Now I am no expert on Cerebral Palsy, but there was something about the way that Andy said it that gave me goose bumps and I couldn’t explain why.

“I’ll see you at the match!” I said putting on a winning smile for Benji and giving him a wink.

“Bye, bye!” He squealed causing everyone in the close vacinity to give him looks of discomfort, interest or annoyance. 

I wanted to be alone and now I got it when I arrived at the locker room. I sat down on the bench across from my locker and reached in my pocket to reveal the unopened letter from my parents. I was nervous. I know it sounds stupid because here I am trying to do anything and everything to be me, but I don’t know why I cared what they thought. 

I slid my finger under the seal and opened the letter up in front of me. 

Rose,

We are so very thrilled that you made it into Ravenclaw!

I hesitated before I continued. I knew that my mum had wrote this because of what my dad said at King’s cross about being disowned. 

We knew that you would enjoy the moment you saw Hogwarts for the first time. Please try to remember that when you come home for the holidays that you say nothing to Hugo about it. We want him to be able to have that moment too. 

‘Hugo,’ I thought to myself with a snort of laughter. What a goon! I bet that one of my cousin’s has told him all about the “moment”.

We are so excited that you are looking forward to your magical education and hope you enjoy the library! We expect to see your greatness shine Rosie!

Please behave yourself and we will see you soon!

Love,

Mum and Dad

My stomach turned. If they could see the pile of homework on my desk, my dad would just say I was daddy’s girl, but my mum would be horrified.

Shaking my head, I folded the letter up and placed it on the bench next to me.

“Everything alright?” Malfoy’s voice called out making me jump as I grabbed my chest, breathing heavily.

“Geez Malfoy!” I shouted between deep breaths. “You nearly gave me heart failure!”

“Sorry!” He replied walking over to his locker. “You know Rose, you don’t have to act like you’re the only one running away from something you have no control over.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow and feeling that all too familiar flutter when he said my name. ‘Where on earth was this coming from?’ I questioned myself. 

“Cut the crap Rose, you’re smarter than that.” He informed me as I stared at him bewildered.

“What are you talking about?” I asked again this time with more anger lacing my voice.

“I know you’re afraid to be like your parents.” He calmly insisted as he began to dress in his uniform.

‘What. The. Bloody. Hell.’ I thought to myself as I too began to put my uniform on. ‘What is up with my fellow Ravenclaws? Are they all Seer’s?’

I didn’t reply to him, but simply continued to dress in my uniform. I didn’t want to get into this when I needed to focus on the match. Thankfully Jack Martin walked in.

“Today is going to be a tough game! The Gryffindor team is pretty good, so Drew, Janae and Fremont, I am going to need you to score as many goals as you can to build up our lead. Conor, you’re going to have to get to that snitch as quickly as possible. Rose and Scorpius, you two need to do your best to protect and defend the players.” Jack announced to us. “Everyone ready?”

The rest of us mumbled and grunted instead of speaking because the nerves were getting to all of us. All of us that is except Jack.

After another ten minutes we all walked out of the locker rooms and waited to be called out onto the pitch by the announcer Lysander Scamander. 

“Here comes the Ravenclaw team!” He yelled into the microphone in order to be heard above the crowd. “Martin, White, Bryant, Mitchell, Corner, Malfoy, Weasley!”

We flew around the pitch to the cheers and boos from the crowd filling our ears. 

“Now here comes the Gryffindor team!” Lysander again announced to the anticipating crowd. “Williams, Johnson, Rogers, Ellsworth, Potter, Cootes, Jones!”

“The two captains meet in the center for a handshake. Looks tense down there between Williams and Martin. They mount their brooms and Madam Pennett is giving a few last instructions. There goes the snitch, the bludgers and the quaffle. The teams are now in the air! Here we go!”

The wind had picked up since this morning and I was grateful that I decided to wear my hair up. 

We zoomed around the pitch and I turned just in time to watch Drew score the first goal for Ravenclaw.

Cheers erupted around us as Lysander’s voice filled my ears.

“Bryant scores! Ten points to Ravenclaw!” He announced excitedly. 

“Potter makes the toss out to Rogers, he weaves in and out of traffic and dodges a well aimed bludger sent by Malfoy, but misses the one sent by Weasley. He drops the quaffle, but it is picked up by Ellsworth who passes it to Johnson. She is in range… will she make it? Yes! She does! Eloise Johnson makes the goal! It’s a tie game folks! Looks like Jack Martin, Ravenclaw captain is going to call a timeout.”

Madam Pennett sounds the whistle and we all land on the ground and huddle up.

“Good way to start the game guys. I really want to get some more goals in on Potter before we capture the snitch. So Conor, I want you to wait until we are at least at fifty points before you catch it. Do whatever you think is necessary in order to divert their seeker.”

Conor nodded and we all broke apart. 

“Do you want to continue on defense or do you want to play offense?” Malfoy asked before we took off again.

I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me whatever you don’t want to do, I will.”

He nodded in response before saying, “I will take offense.”

The whistle blew again and we all returned to the air. I don’t know what the Gryffindor captain said to his team, but they seemed rejuvenated and had it out for us. 

The bludgers were coming fast and furious and by the time we could figure out what was really going on, they were up forty points to ten. 

I slugged a bludger that was diverted by their beater, but rebounded by Malfoy and met its target with a sickening crack.

Gryffindor again dropped the quaffle and it was picked up by Rogers again. He was moving as quickly as he could down the pitch as I raced after the group of chasers in order to keep any bludgers from coming at him. 

He threw the quaffle which Albus blocked. He gave me a smug smile as I turned my broom around and gave him a dirty look back.

‘What a git!’ I thought, but my thoughts were interrupted with the scene playing out in front of me. The two seekers, Conor White and Ryan Williams were in a dead heat of a race with their arms out stretched. 

All of us on the pitch watched with baited breath; the crowd was completely silent as they both dove.

Just before they hit the ground, they both jumped from their brooms at about two feet from the ground and they slid a few yards. Madam Pennett was right there to determine the outcome.

“GRYFFINDOR WINS!” She announced as the crowd erupted around us. 

My heart sank.

Back in the locker rooms, the mood from my team was somber as we all changed out of our uniforms. 

The only thing that Jack said before he left was, “We’ll get them next time! Practice on Tuesday!”

I sat on the bench in a grumpy mood. I wasn’t ready to leave the safety of the locker room and face my house or the school. I especially didn’t want to see my cousin who I knew from the look he gave me on the pitch would be relentless in his gloating arrogance that he has seemed to have adopted lately.

“Let’s go. We’ve got homework to do and we promised Luci we would meet her in the library.” Malfoy reminded me, his voice pulling me from my reveire. 

I stood up and felt numb as I urged my legs to carry me.

When we exited the locker rooms, I was stunned to find that a majority of my cousin’s were there waiting for me. Victoire, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Roxanne Dom and Louis. They smiled sadly at me. They knew I was upset and disappointed. 

“Good game Rosie!” They all said in unison. 

“You did great!”

“Truly!”

“You’ll get them next time!”

“We are so proud of you!”

I was overwhelmed by their support even though I wasn’t in Gryffindor. 

“Thanks guys!” I replied with a small smile as they surrounded me in a hug. 

Malfoy just stood back watching before he cleared his throat. “Rose, we have homework remember?”

I nodded. “Sorry guys!” They all patted me on the back and shoulder one at a time before they walked away.

“That was nice of them,” Malfoy expressed as we continued up the sloping lawn to the front doors. 

“It was.” I said in agreement. 

I didn’t really want to say anything more because I was still disappointed with our loss, but all I could think about now was homework and the holidays. I knew that things would be a bit tense between my family when I arrived home especially when they mention the company I keep.

I suddenly got the feeling of nervousness again as a flutter began again in my stomach. This was not going to be easy.

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note: Well here we go... I didn't want to start a new WIP, but my muse insisted! Please let me know what you think!! :) Thank you reader Diana Henson for the inspiration to write this!
> 
> Credit to: JK Rowling These were all borrowed from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows US Edition Epilogue Nineteen Years Later Pages: 755 & 756
> 
> "If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you...but no pressure!"
> 
> "Look who it is...So that’s little Scorpius," my dad said under his breath. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother’s brains."
> 
> "Don’t get too friendly with him though, Rosie,” he informed me as he knelt down beside me to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Grandad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood,"


End file.
